Bob Marley Essay

In a sentence of political, economic, and social unrest, a bracing way of protest was beginning to emerge from Jamaica in the form of reggae harmony. It was 1963 when a young man from Jamaica by the name of Robert Nesta Marley, better known as tag Marley, formed a band called The Wailers, who would undoubtedly become ace of the only reggae bands to rise up from the oppression of the third world commonwealth. The country of Jamaica had just gained independence from the U.K. in 1962, provided was anything exactly a liberal nation. Those in power chose to exploit the countrys few master(prenominal) exports, primarily bauxite, a mineral used in the process of manufacturing aluminum. The commencement ceremony ten years of Jamaican independence saw considerable economic growth, but these gains were held back from the countrys urban poor. From his book, Reggae, Rastafari, and the Rhetoric of complaisant Control, Stephen A. King writes, After independence, the Jamaican Labor Pa rtys quin Year Plan did not produce economic prosperity but, instead, lighten greater inequity of living conditions (47). King quotes Adam Kuper, As the Jamaican Labor Party encouraged foreign countries to invest in and have kittens Jamaicas manufacturing and bauxite industries, the traditional pursuits of agriculture, forestry, and fishing dropped to a low of 10 per centum of Jamaicas gross domestic product in 1968 (47). Marley chose to join the Rastafarian movement, a religious program that was a prominent group in Jamaica. The Rastafarian faith helped to fuel Marleys purpose in music, which was to seat and inspire those who were being kept down by the nations wealthier class. A trivial rural village called Nine Miles located in the parish of Sainte Ann is where sour grass Marley was born. Marley lived with his grandparents in the community of Sainte Anne, people who followed traditions they had learned from their early African ancestors. These customs included storytelli ng which would be virtuoso of Marleys signature qualities during his songwriting career.When Marley was a teenager, his mother decided to take him away from Sainte Anne, and moved him to Jamaicas detonating device Kingston in the vicinity of impinge township. This would be where Marley would begin to congeal down on his musical journey. Like approximately urban Jamaican cities, Trench town was poor and all of its inhabitants including the teenage Marley lived in poverty. During this time Marley learned how to defend himself against the rough town locals, and instead of following them Marley decided to pass closer attention to music. As one author writes, Despite the poverty, discouragement and various unsavory activities that sustained some ghetto dwellers, Trench Town was in like manner a culturally rich community where Bob Marleys rich musical talents were nurtured. A lifelong source of inspiration, Bob immortalized Trench Town in his songs No Woman No Cry (1974), T rench Town Rock (1975) and Trench Town, the latter released posthumously in 1983 (Ruff, Bobs Early Life). Marleys beginnings in the music manufacturing were with a form of music known as ska. Ska came about in Jamaica during the late 1950s and early 60s. Ska was inspired by American R&B music that could be heard with U.S. radio airways on the transistor radio. Ska was a blending of Americas R&B and Jamaicas island beat, a mixture of calypso and mento. Author Stephen A. King writes, Perhaps ska can best be characterized as a product of creolization, borrowing heavily from black American music (jazz, gospel, and R&B), while also incorporating indigenous (mento) and African elements into its hard (24). Many citizens of Jamaica could not afford radios to listen to music or clutches up on any news reports coming from the island. So the Jamaican sound systems, mobile devices much(prenominal) as vans or musical equipment on wheels, would be used to host dances, and the deejay s would also use their sound systems to certify his listeners on political happenings. King states that, As one of the few low-priced social activities for the poor, the sound system brought music to slips where the voice of the poor could be heard without interference by local authorities (16). Like most of the world during this time, the black population was not allowed any political power, and galore(postnominal) began to seek ways to resist.One of the methods used as a essence to passively difference of opinion back against the imbalance was the Rastafarian godliness. The Rastafarian religion was born early in the twentieth century, but its roots betrothal back as far as the late 1800s when slaves tangle compelled to revolt against the plantation owners on the belief that God was calling them to fight for freedom. In 1927, a man named Marcus Garvey brought forth to Jamaicans the basis of the Rastafarian religion, which was to search to Africa for the crowning of a mal e monarch. This would be a sign for Jamaica that freedom is near. From Africana, the cyclopedia of the African and the African-American Experience, author Roanne Edwards quotes Garvey Look to Africa for the crowning of a king to know that your redemption is nigh (Edwards 1592). In 1930 Ras Tafari was crowned emperor butterfly of Ethiopia and baptized with the name Haile Selassie. From that moment on the Rastafarians of Jamaica would recognize the king of Ethiopia as the living messiah. The religion of Rastafarianism was meant to empower Jamaicas black population by reflecting heavily on African heritage and believed that the western society was instantlys kingdom of Babylon, a corrupt city that profited from the oppressed. Part of the Rastafarian faith was to grow dreadlocks, this would become one of Marleys signature features, but Marley was not following any trends, his purpose for wearing his hair in dreadlocks had deeper meaning than mere fashion. As quoted from Rolling St one, Until Babylon fell, according to one story the Rastas would not cut their hair. They grew it long in a fearsome expression called dreadlocks (Gilmore 5). Another element from the Rastafarian Movement was the use of cannabis to make believe a deeper connection with Selassie. Marley used marijuana as a yeasty outlet in songwriting and Marley, along with many Rasta musicians, followed the ritual of smoking marijuana or ganja for this uncanny experience.Marleys songs came from a deep spiritual determination, to spread the gist of the Rastafarian faith and to fight against those who sought to put down the poor and less fortunate of the world. According to author Rex Ruff, Bob Marley reaffirms his adherence to Rastafari on Forever Loving Jah from Uprising the final record album released during his lifetime. Uprising features the acoustic Redemption Song which implores the listener emancipate yourselves from psychogenic slavery none but ourselves can free our mind, reiteratin g the self-empowering convictions that Rastafarian tenets have sought to establish (Bob and Rastafarian Beliefs). The poor of Jamaica were subject to red because of the decisions that were being made by the political parties put in place after Jamaica had become a free nation. On one hand, at that place was the Peoples content Party, led by Michael Manley, who fought for constitutional rights, and on the other hand, thither was the Jamaican Labor Party, led by Edward Seaga, who desired to put Jamaicas capital interests abroad before the welfare of the nation. Both the Peoples National Party and the Jamaican Labor Party were primarily quarter by white members and Marley took neither side, but was said to have small favor towards Michael Manleys Peoples National Party. In 1976 the celestial latitude elections were drawing near and violent protests were taking over the streets of Kingston. Marley had become such a prominent idol for Jamaican citizens and the Peoples National Pa rty thought a project performed by Marley would help console the city during the election. Marley agreed to perform with his band The Wailers at the Smile Jamaica concert.Although Marley had evince political neutrality, some believed that Marley had favor for Michael Manleys side. During rehearsal, just two years before the concert, Marley and some members of his band were shot at. No one tortuous in the shooting were killed, but both Marley and his manager at the time suffered injuries. Marley went on to perform at the Smile Jamaica concert to keep the peace, but fled the country immediately after the show ended. After the Smile Jamaica concert Marley performed again at the One Love Peace concert where he persuaded Michael Manley and Edward Seaga up on the stage to shake hands. This concert symbolized Marleys truthful desire for peace and harmony between the political parties of Jamaicas new government. As Gilmore writes, On April 22nd, at the One Love Peace Concert, Marley m anaged to tattle both Michael Manley and Edward Saga onstage with him and held their hands together with his in a motility of coexistence (Gilmore 9). Marley died of cancer at the young age of 36, but his music is still alive and reaches hundreds of people every single day. One of the things that made Marleys music so effective was his ability to speak an intense message through and through a creative melody. From Rolling Stone, He was a magnificent melody writer, and his songs insinuating pop hooks pull the listener into the realities Marley was describing (Gillmore 12). Although much of the Marley bequest lives on in America as a mere trend, one who chooses to look deeper into his message will feel the power Marley had intended through his poetry that was meant for an oppressed nation.